Trump’s Mixed Reception at US Open Final

During the US Open Men’s Singles Final at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, President Donald Trump received both cheers and boos from the audience on Sunday afternoon.

He made his entrance about an hour before the match between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, taking his place in the Rolex Corporate Suite and waving to the crowd. Some tennis fans applauded, to which Trump responded with a simple “thank you.”

As the national anthem played, the crowd’s reaction was mixed, with cheers accompanied by noticeable boos as the camera focused on him. Reports indicated he faced additional booing midway through the match.

Trump’s critics highlighted the negative responses, particularly noting the boos. Still, there were moments of applause too. Tennis reporter Ben Rosenberg mentioned that he was cautious about reporting on the spectators’ reactions.

This marked Trump’s first appearance at the Grand Slam event since before his presidency, having last attended in September 2015, right after announcing his campaign.

Sinner and Alcaraz have established themselves as top contenders in the post-Federer and Nadal era. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic, despite reaching the semi-finals at each Grand Slam this season, hasn’t claimed a title since the 2023 US Open.

Alcaraz commented on Trump’s presence, stating that it’s a privilege for a tournament like this to have a president in attendance: “I try not to think about it too much, but it’s amazing to have him here.”

Conflicting reports emerged about the broadcast coverage, with claims that networks were instructed to minimize any visible reactions to Trump’s presence. The American Tennis Association (USTA) allegedly directed broadcasters to avoid showing any crowd reactions, emphasizing a neutral portrayal of his attendance.

The USTA often requests networks to prevent confusion in their coverage regarding crowd responses.